Privacy Policy

Last updated: September 7, 2026

Crossword Guru ("we", "our", or "the app") is a word puzzle game developed by Haider Ali. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information when you use our mobile application.

1. Information We Collect

Account Information: When you sign in with Google or Apple, we receive your name, email address, and profile photo from the authentication provider. When you sign up with an email address and password, we store the email address and the display name you enter; passwords are handled by Firebase Authentication and never stored by us in readable form. We use this to create your in-app profile.

Game Data: We store your game progress, scores, level completions, daily challenge results, streak data, and gameplay statistics. This data is tied to your account and synced across your devices.

Social Data: If you use the friends feature, we store your friend connections, friend requests, and public profile information (display name, level, stars) so other players can find and connect with you.

Device Information: We collect your device's push notification token (FCM token) to send you notifications. We do not collect device identifiers, location data, or browsing history.

2. How We Use Your Information

• Authentication: To sign you in and maintain your session across devices.
• Game Experience: To save your progress, display your stats, track streaks, and show leaderboard rankings.
• Social Features: To enable friend discovery, friend requests, and shared leaderboards.
• Notifications: To send you daily challenge reminders and friend request alerts (you can disable these in Settings).

3. Data Storage and Security

Your data is stored securely using Google Firebase (Cloud Firestore and Firebase Authentication). Data is encrypted in transit using TLS and at rest using Google's encryption standards. Access to your personal data is restricted to your authenticated session — other users cannot read your private data.

4. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services:

• Firebase Authentication (Google LLC) — for sign-in with Google and Apple
• Cloud Firestore (Google LLC) — for data storage and sync
• Firebase Cloud Messaging (Google LLC) — for push notifications

These services are governed by Google's Privacy Policy. We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with any other third parties.

5. Advertising

Crossword Guru does not currently display advertisements. If we introduce ads in the future, this policy will be updated accordingly, and you will be notified.

6. Children's Privacy

Crossword Guru is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.

7. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access your personal data stored in the app
• Delete your account and all associated data by contacting us
• Opt out of push notifications via the app's Settings screen
• Update your display name and profile visibility in the Profile screen

8. Data Retention

We retain your data for as long as your account is active. If you request account deletion, we will delete your personal data within 30 days. Anonymized gameplay statistics (e.g., puzzle completion averages) may be retained for analytics purposes.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes through the app or by updating the "Last updated" date above. Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.